At 10:45 AM 3/9/00 -0700, Dan Michaels wrote:
>So, it is reasonable to think that a cap *blasted by an ESD bolt*
>can possibly "reheal" by reforming its oxide layer, or may
>"self-heal" with the charge blasting the electrode away in a local
>area, but leaving intact the rest of the cap surface. (I'm not sure
>if your reference to "s-h" & metallized caps applies to aluminum
>electrolytics).

   Dan, "Self-Healing" only applies to metallized caps (with metallized
electrodes), not electrolytics. I brought that up to prevent confusion
with the "rehealing" property of electrolytics.

   - Tom

>I wrote:
>>   The "rehealing" feature with electrolytics relates to the working
>>electrolyte in that any faults in the oxide layer will be repaired by
>>further anodization. This is a factor is the design of the cap.
>>
>>   "Self-Healing" refers to metallized caps where a partial discharge
>>results in a localized failure of the dielectric which burns away the
>>metallized electrode effectively isolating the fault.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Handley
New Age Communications
Since '75 before "New Age" and no one around here is waiting for UFOs ;-)